The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had some struggles in their television offerings, but the recent teaser for Wonder Man suggests something truly meta and unique that could be one of their most original offerings yet. Following in the footsteps of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, the upcoming Marvel release appears to take a humorous and original look at the world of superhero cinema from a completely different context, set in Los Angeles. Simon Williams’ powers do not seem to be on display in the teaser, which focuses on the world itself.

While the series is still a fair distance away, with a projected release in December 2025, the Wonder Man trailer teases how the story of Simon Williams will be explored in a refreshing way. Superhero veteran star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars as the titular hero, fresh from his role as Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. This new role seems to explore a different side of Abdul-Mateen, whose star has been rising in Hollywood these past years for good reason, and is set to rise further with Wonder Man and its unique narrative choices.

Wonder Man Looks Set To Completely Rewrite The Comic Character

This New Take On The Hero Does Not Seem To Pull Much From Marvel Comics

The very short trailer for Wonder Man – featured in a Marvel Television reel – sees Simon Williams enter an audition to read for the part of Wonder Man in an upcoming film. This is a departure from the comics, which saw Simon Williams become Wonder Man before later joining the world of Hollywood. In fact, in the comics, Williams began as a foe to the Avengers due to the schemes of Baron Zemo, and later wound up joining the team. Williams then went on to found the West Coast Avengers.

None of this seems to be present in the upcoming series, where Simon appears to be simply an actor looking for work. Without this dark past behind him, and without these larger links to the Marvel Cinematic Universe – including a competitive relationship with Iron Man – it is likely that the character is being mostly reimagined for the show. How Wonder Man and his incredible ionic powers translate to the series remains to be seen, but the show seems to be an original and interesting look at what superhero movies could be like inside a world where they’re already real.

Marvel Has Found Success With Meta Properties Like Deadpool

Following in the footsteps of The Boys and even the more recent HBO comedy The Franchise, Wonder Man, made by Marvel, looks to explore the production of a superhero film. This is a very meta idea that will be interesting to see the tone of. With productions like Rogers: The Musical already established in the MCU, it is clear that superheroes influence media in this world, and it will be interesting to see how that is explored in the upcoming show.

With characters like Trevor Slattery set to play an important role and with Ralph Bohner rumored to appear, the larger world of actors inside the MCU will be explored in the impenidng series. However, it does not appear that the series will be meta in the same way as Deadpool and She-Hulk, which saw the heroes talking to the audience. Instead, Wonder Man looks to be a refreshing look at superhero movie production from inside of the genre itself.

Marvel Can Create Something Truly Iconic With Wonder Man

The Disney+ Series Debuts In December 2025

There are not likely to be many people who have greater insight into what it means to make a superhero movie than the production team behind this show. With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton behind the series, there seems to be real passion for original superhero stories being explored here, but in a way that still allows the MCU to interrogate classic comic tales in new ways. Seeing this as a Marvel Spotlight series will allow the series to be effective without having to tie into the larger MCU story.

Simon Williams has had a strange place in Marvel Comics, and understanding how he fits into this larger universe is a promising prospect. The Wonder Man cast is led by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who has proven himself an excellent comic-book movie and television performer with his significant roles in Aquaman and Watchmen. Seeing him play the lead of a series like this is an excellent proposition. Combined with the creative team behind it, this series could likely be truly special.

Marvel’s 2025 television slate is interesting and varied, with Wonder Man being perhaps the most unusual project on the list. While not much is yet known about the series, the setting and the tone appear to be unique in the universe. Expanding the scope and feel of the MCU in Wonder Man is an exciting prospect, and based on the team behind this series – both behind and in front of the camera – the project is bound to turn into something distinct and engrossing.

Upcoming MCU Movies